Govt moves to act on SC order

Moving towards proper implementation of the Supreme Court order shutting down mining operations from March 16, the government on Tuesday decided to prepare a final report so as to confirm that all ore extractions have come to an end abiding by the SC order.

The decision was taken at an urgent meeting held between different agencies regulating mining activities.

The meeting was called by mines secretary Daulat Hawaldar.

The final report will be based on inspections of leases to be carried out after March 15.

Furthermore it has been decided to seek legal opinion on the transportation of extracted ore from the leasehold areas after March 15.

Officials have been directed to first inspect leases that did not extract ore in 2017-18, followed by the leases where work began after 2015.

Leases that are in ore production or in transportation until the deadline will be inspected in the last leg.

The meeting touched upon status of mines safety after the shutdown.

Although existing leaseholders cannot be compelled to carry out safety measures after March 16, several leaseholders have agreed to continue with safety operations even after they clear out of the lease areas.

The government has directed the director of mines and geology to co-ordinate with the director general of mines safety to take timely action so that the safety of people residing close to the leases is not jeopardised.

The meeting held at the secretariat was attended by Y G Kale, regional controller of mines, Indian Bureau of Mines, Margao; Sanjeev Joglekar, environment engineer of the Goa State Pollution Control Board; Anil Kumar, conservator of forests and Prasanna A Acharya, director of mines and geology.